Gun Shop Owner And Clerk Convicted In `Straw' Sales

July 15, 2000|By Matt O'Connor, Tribune Staff Writer.

A federal jury Friday convicted two employees of an Oak Lawn gun shop as well as its corporate owner of illegally selling assault-style weapons and semiautomatic pistols to undercover Chicago police officers posing as street gang members.

U.S. Atty. Scott Lassar, saying he personally prosecuted the case because of the importance of stopping the sale of guns to criminals from suburban shops, said he will seek prison terms for defendants Brian Inglese, a co-owner of the gun shop, and Earl F. Baumhardt Jr., a sales clerk.

The corporation, B&H Sports, which is also the name of the gun shop, faces a fine of up to $125,000.

The jury deliberated about three hours before convicting Inglese on eight counts, Baumhardt on four counts and B&H Sports on 10 counts for selling guns to "straw" purchasers. Such purchasers buy guns on behalf of felons, who by law cannot buy or possess firearms.

"When gun shops knowingly sell to straw purchasers, they're putting deadly weapons on the street to people who are probably criminals," Lassar said after the verdict. "Otherwise, they could buy the guns themselves, so this is a very serious crime."

Inglese and B&H Sports were acquitted on three counts of selling machine pistols and other weapons, knowing they were going to be used for narcotics trafficking.

The convictions mark the first victory at trial for local and federal authorities since representatives of five suburban gun shops were charged last summer in federal court with making illegal firearm sales.

The first trial ended in the acquittal of a Franklin Park gun shop and a sales clerk. The next trial of a gun shop owner, Donald Beltrame of Suburban Sporting Goods of Melrose Park, is to begin July 24.

In closing arguments Friday, Lassar and prosecutor David Hoffman said the undercover Chicago police officers used blatant language in front of Inglese and Baumhardt to show they were gang members who intended to use the guns for violent purposes.

One undercover officer said someone owed him money and he wanted to get an Intratec machine pistol, Lassar said, "and he walked out of the shop that day with that gun."

Over a few months, the undercover officers bought 25 weapons, including one semiautomatic rifle that fired 100 rounds at a clip, according to the prosecutors.

In addition, prosecutors put on evidence of a real straw purchase in which Yolanda Webb's ex-boyfriend, a gang member, instructed her on which guns to buy for him in front of Inglese and Baumhardt.

In the witness stand, the defendants alleged that the officers hadn't made any of the incriminating comments they claimed. Inglese said one officer claimed to be a gun collector who wanted the weapons for target shooting.

Inglese and Baumhardt also said Webb had bought the guns while alone, not with the ex-boyfriend.